Return to Labyrinth
by KAM wuz here
Summary: Sarah defeats Jareth, but he's still determined to have her. He brings Sarah back the Labyrinth for another adventure. This time there will be no pleasant offers, only a dangerous game of Hide and Seek.
1. Prologue

It had been thirteen days since Sarah had left him, having defeated the Labyrinth. After breaking his heart, spitting at his offers, spurning him and his promises aside. After turning his world upside down. after all the things he did for her. After everything he gave her. All the things he could have gave her...

He was still brooding. For thirteen days straight—ever since he had flew back to the Underground after watching Sarah host her little victory party, which even several of his goblins had attended (and were now hosting their own part at the Bog of Eternal Stench)—he had hardly moved from his throne. Currently, he was slinking low into it, one boot up on the arm of it. His face was mostly serene, with more of a thoughtfulness about him as he stared hard at the opposite wall. His body was incredibly still, tense with fury, the only movement being the slow, menacing tapping of his riding crop against the edge of the throne.

The goblins could feel the tension and fury in him. They were mostly inane, but they had grown accustomed to the Goblin King's ways, and they knew what he was feeling at times. This time, the Goblin King made no attempt to hide it. The goblins tended to push their luck all the way with him, but this time, they knew better of it. The Goblin King was just _waiting _for one of them to give him a reason to snap.

_Goblin King..._

Jareth's spine jerked into a rod-straight position at the sudden voice that slithered into his mind. There was no mistaking it; it was the voice of the Labyrinth. It spoke in a thousand whispers; piercing, cold, alien voices. They were almost tangible, penetrating his mind like strands of smoke slipping through thin cracks. The feeling was this a thousand times over in his head.

_The girl, Goblin King..._

"What of her?" Jareth asked, his tone clipped but his voice soft, so no goblins would overhear him.

_She is not here, Goblin King..._

His hands clenched, his riding crop stilling on the throne. "And what do you propose I do about that?" he rebuked. "Hm? I did everything I could to make her stay. I gave her everything, and she rejected me." He gave a long, wistful pause. "I have never felt such desire before. I _want _her."

_You must make her one of us, Goblin King..._

He laughed once; a harsh, contemptuous noise. A few goblins turned their heads to him. "Easier said than done," he said. Though...the idea tasted like the finest wine to him...

_You made a mistake, Goblin King... With the babe to help capture her, you failed the first time. This does not mean you must give up. You must try again. Try again, Goblin King. Go to her, Goblin King._

"Go to her, and what? To offer her her dreams again would be absolute folly. If she was so repulsed by her dreams thirteen days again, she will not so soon change her mind."

There was a silence from the Labyrinth, as its sibilant voice still writhed around his mind, expectant.

It hit him, making his eyes narrow and one corner of his lips rise slightly, threatening to become a full _wicked_ grin. "Then I do not _offer _her anything."

_You must _try _again, Goblin King._

The words "Goblin King" echoed several times in his mind, growing louder rather than softer each time, as an echo normally would. It delivered the point.

"I am the Goblin King." And he would offer Sarah everything... And he would make her subject to his will...

_You must charm her. Woo her. Hypnotize her. Change her spirit, and become her master. Set her free, and she will be so ever grateful that she will kneel at your feet and offer herself to you. Seek her out, and bring her to you... _

The voice retreated from and back into the recesses of the Labyrinth. What needed to be said was said.

The Goblin King stood up, and ever the Goblin King was he. No one matched his regality. No one could ever look so imposing. Dark power sparked in the air around him, crisp and renewed. If his vindictive smile could not cause anyone to cower in fear, then the look in his mismatched eyes certainly could.

With determination in his usual swagger, he crossed the room to the windowsill, leaning over the stone to look out into the sunrise over the Labyrinth. He jumped from the window and transformed, ever graceful, into a white barn owl, and flew off into the night of the Aboveground.

* * *

**This story is based off of my youtube video, 'Return to Labyrinth'. The link is on my profile.**

**This will be a short fic, I know it, but hopefully not disappointing. **

**Interesting? Review please?**


	2. Sie Kommen Zu Euch In Der Nacht

**Sorry about the long wait people. I wanted to take a little longer on this chapter. hint hint, it had to be worded VERY carefully. If this chapter wasn't written correctly, it would have really been like trying to loophole your way out of a fae bargain trying to write the rest of this story. i hope i did it right.**

**As Alice Cooper is to "Why Trust You", Rammstein is to "Return to Labyrinth". That's what's up with the German chapter titles. They're lyrics to Rammstein songs.**

**ENJOY!**

Sie Kommen Zu Euch In Der Nacht

(They Come To You In The Night)

Sarah tossed and turned in her bed, trying as hard as she could to fight off the nightmares. It was no use though. She was caught. Stuck forever, in an endless labyrinth of nightmares.

She was running. Running and running forever, forced on by tall brick walls that went on and on. Where was the way out? She didn't know. How long had she been running for? She didn't know. But the walls might close in on her, so she kept running, tripping along, until she finally fell.

The hands were everywhere, large and gnarled and _hurting_ her. They were gripping her tightly, scratching her, yanking on her hair, and choking her. _Touching _her, and _laughing_. Hands didn't laugh, but they were howling and mocking mercilessly. She struggled wildly, crying for them to let her go, and finally broke free, only to continue falling.

She landed hard on the ground, on her knees and hands in a way that knocked all the wind from her. She coughed and tried to suck in a breath. It took a few times to get it right. A broken sob escaped her lips, and that's when she realized tears were slipping down her cheeks. She wiped her hands off on each other before wiping her face and repressing the hysteria. There was no time to cry. Now, where was that door?

There was a single lit candle, which didn't light much in the little room. It only made shadows look frightening. She walked over to the wall, felt the cold stone, and then there was a doorknob under her hand. She looked down to see it, but before she could turn it, she watched a dark liquid begin to seep under through from under the door.

She gasped and jumped back, but the liquid advanced. She desperately looked around, searching for any other escape, desperate to not let the liquid touch her. There was a ladder on the other side of the room, and she wasted no time in running over to it and immediately beginning to climb. The ladder creaked, but she didn't think about it, because the liquid was rising rapidly and already covered the entire floor. Then the rung under her foot broke, and splashed below. She slipped, squeezing her eyes shut as she hung on to the ladder for dear life.

When she opened her eyes, it was a branch she was holding onto. A mucky, green and brown water rippled hungrily below her. Her fingers were slipping.

Suddenly, there was Jareth, the Goblin King. His mismatched eyes glinted something dangerous, his crooked smile cold, but his embrace was ever protecting. He was the one pleasant thing, among all the nightmares. After so many hardships and dangers, there was Jareth, and she had never fallen while she was in his arms, dancing with him. Only when she let go did she fall. This time, she did not let go. She wanted to be close to him, wanted him to never stop holding her, wanted—

Sarah started out of her sleep, which was exactly what she didn't want at that moment. It was so dark in her bedroom, she couldn't see a thing. Then she realized that was partly because she and her blanket and a pillow over her head, the sheets cocooning her tightly and making it very difficult for her to breathe. She wrestled her way out of them, but her room was still hot and she was lightly covered in sweat.

She got out of bed completely, stretched a little, and sauntered over to her window. She pushed it open as far as it would go, and at once the chill of the autumn night hit her skin and caused a breakout of goose bumps as she shivered. She yawned, wiped her face and the sleep from her eyes, and pulled on a light, white robe to cover herself. She was only wearing panties and a white camisole under that.

Ever since she returned from her trip through the Labyrinth, she hadn't slept all too well. It was simply an excited mind though. That night was something very different. She'd never had nightmares about her adventure.

_Whatever_, she thought, mostly trying to comfort herself. _A dream is a dream. It's not like—_

Her thoughts broke off when she saw a little light through her bleary eyes. Narrowing her eyes to try to see through her tiredness, she watched as the light blinked, moving slowly, and then, to her amazement, came to rest on the window sill.

Curiously, she reached a shy finger to touch it. It crawled up onto her finger before she could pull away, and then into the palm of her hand as she brought it closer to her face. It was just a lightning bug. _Odd, _she thought. She didn't usually see lightning bugs around after summer ended. The bug then opened up its wings and flew up, in Sarah's face so that for a moment it almost touched her nose, before drawing back to the window.

For a very quick second, Sarah saw a sweet face, long hair, and beautiful translucent wings. But the bug flashed its yellow tail, and she shook the image out of her mind. She wasn't in the Labyrinth anymore; there were no fairies in the mortal world.

She quickly shooed the bug off the sill and closed the window, turning to her nightstand with a yawn. Then she frowned. Her digital clock had shut off. Shaking her head, she started out of her room and down the stairs. _I need a drink_.

The light from the moon and streetlamps came in through the cracks in the shades on the kitchen windows, causing the entire kitchen to looked striped. Sarah took out a glass from the cabinet and filled it with tap water. Leaning back against the counter, she took a refreshing sip, and idly glanced at the clock. She sighed and looked around, but nothing caught her particular interest. She wondered if she would be able to fall back asleep easily. Her glazed eyes returned to the clock.

Then she noticed something.

The clock wasn't ticking. The hands were frozen, absolutely still, no ticking. In fact, it was the lack of ticking that caught her attention first. It was eerily silent. She held her breath, waiting, not knowing what she was expected. Perhaps she thought the clock might suddenly start again. It did not. It was stuck, just a few seconds from midnight. Sarah knew it was well past midnight. Of course, this drew her stare toward the elegantly written 12 at the peak of the old clock, and suddenly, that 12 looked like a 13.

She let out her breath as if it had been knocked out of her. And then she drew back sharply, painfully, into the corner of the counter in surprise, because she could see her breath. The air had turned frigid, and she shivered. There was a faint but sharp cracking sound as ice spread over the glass face of the clock, fine crystals sparkling on it. Her hand shook as she watched the ice coat the glass in her hands, her fingers sticking to its surface, as the water left inside turn solid.

"Fear me."

Sarah gasped in the icy air as she whirled around, facing the voice she recognized at once. The Goblin King melted out of the darkness, his wild, silver-blonde hair blowing in a cold wind he stirred up. His razor sharp features were lit by skin that faintly glowed like moonlight. His lips curled up on one side in the most wicked of smiles, almost a sneer, but very victorious. His eyes—those ice blue eyes with mismatched pupils—glittered. There was absolutely nothing friendly about his appearance. As he moved forward, towards Sarah, he looked like a cat, coiled to spring on its prey.

As soon as Sarah saw him, the glass slipped from her hands. She gasped again and jumped back to avoid the explosion of glass shards. It shattered soundlessly. Sarah gaped down at it when Jareth made a small gesture with a gloved hand, and the glass moved back into a pile at her feet. It started to reassemble itself, but it did not become a drinking glass. Instead, it became a crystal orb that rolled towards Jareth, and then rose into his hand. It danced around his fingers weightlessly until he held it still, and he tilted his head back so that piercing owl's eyes were looking down his nose at Sarah.

"Love me," he whispered.

Sarah couldn't manage a sound, as much as she tried. She continued to stare wide-eyed at him as he continued to advance on her, her hands gripping the counter at her back as if she might faint. His pace frightened her the most; slow, menacing steps. He was in no hurry, and at the same time seemed to be challenging her to run, knowing he could chase her down and restrain her in a second if she did. She honestly wasn't sure whether she would or not; every step closer he took urged her to flee but threatened her to stay put.

"Do as I say," Jareth commanded.

He stopped just inches from her, their visible breaths mingling in the space between them. He glance down at the crystal in his hand, then back up to her face. "Cat got your tongue, precious?" he mocked. Then his eyes racked over body, and he purred. "He can have your tongue, but I want the rest of you, Sarah."

She shuddered as her name rolled off his tongue. Then she became aware of her attire. She was practically naked in front of the Goblin King. Even the robe she put on for coverage was falling off one of her shoulders. A noise like almost a whimper escaped her as she forced her hand to move to close her robe.

Jareth moved like the strike of a snake, clasping her wrist in an iron hold and pinning it to the counter. He pressed his body against hers, firmly keeping her stuck against the counter. She didn't dare move. She stayed completely rigid, but she could still feel every part of his own body with hers. There was an odd tightening in her stomach, as Jareth laid his cheek against hers. No, just below her stomach. Her eyes closed briefly, and she made a faint noise. Jareth chuckled against her ear, his breath making her shiver.

"Don't be modest, little one," he said. "_Please_ don't cover yourself. You're so beautiful, fresh from sleep, all disheveled and heavy-eyed."

Sarah clenched her teeth. She wanted to cry and beg for him not to harm her, to just leave, but chastised herself for being a coward. _Don't let the Goblin King make you a coward_, she thought fiercely. Gathering up her courage, she demanded, "Why are you here, Goblin King?" Her voice was muffled because their position forced her to speak into his shoulder, which was the excuse she used to justify the meekness of her voice.

"Why, Sarah—" He sounded hurt as he pulled back just enough to look at her face. "I'm here for you." His eyes hardened. "I'm just here for you. Always and only for you."

"W-what do you-you want?" It was still freezing in the kitchen, which was how she justified her stuttering.

He brought his crystal up to his face and looked at it thoughtfully. "Ah, but, it is I who should be asking you that, my dear."

Sarah suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe, staring fearfully at the crystal. "G-get out of here. T-take th-that thing with you. I don't w...want _anything _from _you_! You have no power over me!"

Jareth's grip visibly tightened on the crystal, his lips thinning for a moment before pulling into a devious smile. "I believe you've made that clear enough, Sarah. Yes, it's true, I have no power over you." He quirked an eyebrow. "But I have power over everything else."

"What's your point?" she asked, but Jareth didn't pause to let her say this, so he continued.

"And all the same, _you _have no power over _me_. So, little girl, I do hope you don't mean to be ordering me about. Though if you want me to leave so badly, you may be inclined to—" He broke off suddenly, snapped his mouth shut, and narrowed his burning eyes on her. "_What _is my _point_?" His voice now sounded like velvet over steel. "Let's use that pretty little head of yours, now, why don't we? I say I have no power to force anything upon your person, but control over anything else in the world. That doesn't frighten you, for any reason?"

Sarah didn't respond. Of course she was already frightened, and perhaps too frightened to think anything logically. She had no clue what he was going on about.

Jareth's expression went blank, but there was an appraising, contemptuous look in his eyes. He slowly straightened, drawing back from Sarah, and put his hands behind his back. "Very well," he said. "I shall respect your wishes then—as I always have—and leave. Surely, though, you wouldn't mind me saying farewell to young Toby." As Sarah gasped with horror and understanding, Jareth turned on his heel and was already sauntering away. "But wait...you have no power over me anyway."

"N-no!" Sarah shouted, pushing herself from the counter. "Jareth, _no_!" She darted forward and caught his cloak, hoping to stop him or pull him back in any way, but slipped on the icy floor herself. She landed on her knees with a cry of pain. Though she kept both fists firmly closed around his cloak, she couldn't bring herself to look up at him as embarrassment surged through her. He had stopped walking though. "Y-you can't have him!" Sarah said fiercely. "Toby has n-nothing to do with you anymore. I won him back, so y-you stay out of his life!"

She could hear his smirk when he spoke. "When did we make that bargain?"

"What would you even want with him, _Goblin King_?" she spit. "You wanna turn him into one of your stupid goblins?"

Jareth tsked. "Sarah, Sarah...that's rather harsh, don't you think? My goblins aren't the most intelligent, by any means, but there's no need to insult them."

Sarah's knuckles were turning white. Jareth abruptly dropped to one knee, and grabbed her face in one leather-clad hand, jerking it up. She wanted to move back, push him away, but was quickly transfixed by his gaze.

"Frankly, precious," he began, "it would be no concern of yours what I do with your young half-brother. However, I did allow you to retrieve him so that he could escape such a fate. So, no, he would not be a goblin. I do keep my word, Sarah. You should remember that." He glanced down to her lips, which she hastily sealed together. "However," he drawled, "you could do nothing to stop me if I wanted to...say...take him back to the Labyrinth. During our ten hours together, I must say I took a liking to the little chap. I even intended to raise him as my own if you didn't succeed."

Sarah's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. "Raise him as...? Why would y—?" She glared at him. "Well, too bad. now you have no reason to worry about that sort of thing. Kindly continue leaving. I don't care if you go to _Hell_, Goblin King, but get out of this house."

Jareth's hand swiftly moved to her neck, not choking her but squeezing just enough to raise the fear in her and gain her attention. His expression was serene, but there was a storm waiting behind it.

"Such hurtful words, precious," he said. "Why? Did I come in here and start spitting in _your _face? No. I simply came...to make you an offer."

"What offer?" she asked without thinking, wishing immediately that she hadn't said anything.

"I would like to play a game with you, Sarah." He smirked a bit and released her throat, leathery fingers sliding across her collarbone and over her bare shoulder. She shivered. "Just a game."

"I don't want to play."

He chuckled darkly. "Aren't you even interested in knowing what it is?"

She wasn't interested. At all. But he went on.

"It's a much more dangerous game than the last one we played. The Labyrinth is mere child's play, my love. This game is much..._darker_. More _intense_. But the rewards are great, Sarah. Really, it depends on how you look at it. And I should hope you like this game, Sarah. After all, I made it just for you."

"Why would I play?" Sarah demanded, because she was no more interested than before.

"Because you want to win," Jareth replied vaguely.

_Alright, _Sarah thought, _I'll bite. _"What would I win?"

Jareth's eyes sparkled. "_Everything_."

"What do you mean?" she dared to ask.

"I mean what I said," he responded. "Even if you do lose, the experience is one to cherish. I know you, Sarah. You're a young, free-spirited girl, and you're in need of an adventure. This is the _only_ opportunity you'll have. Think about it. Didn't you love your run through the labyrinth, in the end? Didn't you love its twists and turns, the surprises, the challenge." He smirked. "My dear, you and I are so alike. We both love a challenge. And we both love to win."

"But there can only be one winner," Sarah said reflectively. Jareth made no remark. "Even if I lose, I get an adventure. But would it be worth the price of losing? What do you gain if I lose?"

His smile grew more wolfish. "The only thing I don't have, precious. Power over you."

"Forget it," she hissed.

He persisted, not thwarted in the least. "Not forever. I wouldn't take away the only _real_ power you have, of course. I would only as for 13 hours. No more, no less. 13 hours of power over you, which you will willingly consent to."

Sarah hesitated. _Good God, _she thought in horror, _Am I seriously considering this? _But she was. She was actually becoming intrigued.

"What would I win, _when _I win?"

"_If _you win," he said, "I will give up my title as sole ruler of the Labyrinth. I will give you certain powers—you know how the story goes, 'and he had given her certain powers', la-di-da—with which you can possess anything you want."

_I will give up my title... _Sarah's jaw dropped. "You mean...I...would be—?

"A ruler of the Labyrinth," Jareth confirmed. "Yes."

She could just imagine. Queen of the Labyrinth. To have all of Jareth's power. _I'd be a wonderful Queen_, she thought. _I'm sure of it_. Of course, she'd be a kind Queen. No more Bog of Eternal Stench. Her friend Hoggle would have nothing to fear from the Goblin King. No more mundane life. No more of her classmates teasing her for her belief in fairytales. She'd be a Queen.

"What's the game, Jareth?" she asked, feeling much more confident.

His eyebrows raised in surprise, and she realized that she had let his name slip out. She shrunk back ever so slightly—why, she didn't know—as Jareth narrowed his eyes. A cruel smile twisted his lips.

"Last time you played with my Labyrinth, and nothing more. Not counting my interference. You knew where you needed to go, no matter where you were. This time, it will truly be a game between you and I alone. You thought that had been tracking you and making it impossible for you to win. I wasn't. By the end of our game, we will see who is the hunter and who is the hunted. You would call the game 'Hide-and-Seek.'"

Sarah stared at him skeptically. "Really? Hide-and-Seek?"

He tsked disapprovingly. "Don't underestimate the game, Sarah. Nothing is ever as it seems. This will be most difficult, and dangerous. I simply ask you to find me in my castle. You will have three days. From sunrise on the first day to the thirteenth hour of night on the third."

"Just in your castle?" she asked. "But that doesn't sound so hard. How big can your castle be?"

He laughed. It was not at all a nice laugh; it was cold and wicked, and Sarah cringed.

"What if I don't accept your challenge?"

He gave an elegant shrug. "No harm shall come to your person by my hand. All go on with my own affairs. I promise you Toby would enjoy what my world has to offer him."

She scowled at him. "That's it then? You're forcing me to accept?"

"My precious thing," he hissed, his fingers trailing up her thigh, "you've already accepted in your mind."

Her jaw clenched as she fought not to kick him in the head for touching her. Instead she tried to ignore it and bravely leveled his gaze. "I accept your challenge, Goblin King."

He abruptly grabbed her chin, and placed a kiss on her cheek. Her skin sizzled beneath his gentle lips, and she was too stunned to move as he pulled away and stood up. The last thing she saw was his victorious grin and burning eyes before he threw a crystal at the floor, and the shards covered her with a blinding white light.

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